The largest cable TV providers in the U.S. now have fewer combined subscribers than the single streaming service, Netflix. Cable TV had 48.6 million subscribers to 50.9 million for Netflix. The lead would be even greater if other streaming services were factored in. Source: Quartz, June 16, 2017. But Netflix’s subscriber base is still climbing, while the pay-TV market is … [Read more...]
Treating a dog with a severe spinal injury
Most of us enjoy a story about passionate pet owners and their efforts to return an ill or injured pet as close to normal as possible. It takes heart, collaboration and effort from the pet owner, the veterinary staff and others. Enjoy this heartwarming story of Chuckie and those who have improved his quality of life. Source: Washington Post, June 13, 2017. Chuckie … [Read more...]
Rural broadband expansion continues
Animal health pros often site restrictions to broadband access as a modern pain point in rural areas. As we become more dependent on point-of-contact records and software, the addition of nearly 1,000 miles of fiber in rural California, Illinois, Iowa and Texas will help. Source: AgWeb, June 13, 2017. USDA announced it is awarding $43.6 million in loans with the intent to … [Read more...]
How content reaches a constantly connected audience [Infographic]
Mobile brings a constantly connected mindset, and it's driving changes in the way our customers and us consume content and interact with brands, from voice search to chatbots, and from digital assistants to the Internet of Things (IoT). DNN Software created an infographic that shows stats and figures related to this phenomenon. Information like helps explain the challenges of … [Read more...]
Texas A&M researchers model illness onset in cattle
Respiratory disease causes 60 to 90 percent of the morbidity or sickness in feedlot cattle, Dr. Bill Pinchak says. Diagnosis is a challenge and primarily relies on visual appraisal to determine illness. This can vary by degrees of individual experience in diagnosing. “Typically, the accuracy is about 60 percent. So there are a lot of animals that are not diagnosed and end up … [Read more...]
Google to bridge the online ad–offline purchase gap
Attention marketers! The measurement gaps are closing. Google announced last week it will begin to connect online ad exposure to brick-and-mortar sales. The company claims it will be able to track about 70 percent of all credit and debit card transactions and link them to online consumer behavior. Source: Harvard Business Review, June 1, 2017. Marketers in the real world … [Read more...]
Evolving meaning of digital transformation
An annual survey conducted by PwC’s Advisory practice provides a compelling look at changes in the digital space as well as the development of a corporation’s Digital IQ. One would expect that today’s companies have a much better Digital IQ than they did in 2007. The reality is surprisingly, no. In a recent PwC survey, executives say they look to digital initiatives … [Read more...]
Any smartphone or laptop can catch fire
BE WARNED! Lithium ion batteries are statistically quite safe, and fires are rare — but they store a large amount of energy in a very small space, so the danger is real. How you use and recharge devices that contain lithium ion batteries could have a significant impact on fire risks. Source: Bottomline Personal, May 1, 2017. Advice from the National Fire Protection … [Read more...]
Periodontal therapy in dogs using products marketed for veterinary use
Several different bone augmentation products are available for veterinary use. While there is not one class of product ideal for every treatment option there are good options that must be supported by long-term commitment to oral health by the owner. Source: JAAHA, May/June 2017 (abstract only). Also see: Table of Contents, JAAHA, May/June 2017 … [Read more...]
The science behind equine boots and bandages
There is little research about the inner workings of the equine leg when wraps and boots are applied. It is a growing field that needs more research before we fully understand it. Source: The Horse, May 2017, (partial access only). Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA went to some of today’s top equine biomechanics researchers to get a better grasp on the science of the wrap and to … [Read more...]
Dairy industry’s changing face
Imagine cow cameras in the parlor so dairy consumers can view on their smartphones cows on a dairy being milked. Tom Haren thinks consumers will also influence how we house cows. His reasons for the change: transparency, sustainability and technology. Dairy site size will likely shrink while dairy enterprises will grow substantially. Source: Milk, March 2017. Automation … [Read more...]
Mizzou maps feline genomes, identifies source of illnesses
The research, named the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Initiative, aims to sequence the entire genome of 99 cats. Getting halfway there has already given the University of Missouri research team insights into genetic mutations that lead to serious health conditions. Source: Kansas City Star, May 10, 2017. One study found a genetic mutation responsible for progressive … [Read more...]
New technique for injecting the navicular bursa studied
French veterinarian Knut Nottrott and his colleagues wanted to develop a novel technique for injecting the navicular bursa that avoided penetrating the deep digital flexor tendon. They researched using a lateral approach to injecting the navicular bursa under ultrasonographic guidance. It avoids the need for radiographs. Source: Modern Equine Vet, April 2017, page 3. The … [Read more...]
Adjust artificial insemination practices during heat stress
If hot weather arrives during the AI season, some management and breeding alterations may be helpful. Research with rumen temperature boluses has shown that the core body temperature of beef cows peaks at two to five hours after the highest daytime temperature. Elevated core body temperatures have been implicated from other research in reduced pregnancy rates in heat stressed … [Read more...]
Ear tags profiled
This article is valuable to help industry pros understand non-electronic ear tag options. It is a good guide to compare various brands of ear tags. Source: American Dairymen, April 2017, page 32. … [Read more...]
Effectiveness of animal testing being compared to other methods
All drugs and some chemicals must be tested on animals before humans, but no one is certain how well such tests predict the toxic effects on people. A Johns Hopkins University team hopes to find out by comparing standard animal tests with more modern scientific methods that use human cells or computer models. Source: The Baltimore Sun, March 16, 2017 via AAHA NEWStat. Data … [Read more...]
FDA regulates stem cells
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is encouraging its members to comply with a recent FDA guidance document that outlined regulatory requirements for animal cell-based products (ACPs). Source: Modern Equine Veterinarian, Issue 2, 2017, page 8. There is considerable concern about the impact on the equine veterinary industry,” Said Christopher E. Kawcak, … [Read more...]
Did my phone just buzz?
Have you been convinced that you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket or heard your ringtone? Yet, when you check your phone, no one tried to reach you. More than 80 percent of college students recently surveyed have experienced the phantom buzz. If it’s happening more than once a day it could be a sign that you’re psychologically dependent on your cellphone. Source: The … [Read more...]
Technology helps replace painful management practices
Technology is moving quickly to help cattlemen reduce the use of traditional management practices that cause needless pain. From individual identification to castration, Bernie Rollin, Colorado State University animal science professor, gives an overview of how cattlemen can continue improving their daily practices. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, March 8, 2017. If asked to … [Read more...]
Software and gadgets enhance work and play
Technology plays a tremendous role in how animal health pros manage their days at work and home. This article reviews technology advancements that include drone security, video doorbells and key finders. It is followed by good automotive-related news and hacks. Source: Repertoire, February 2017. Pages 50-53. … [Read more...]
Generation X more addicted to social media than millennials
A Nielsen report released last week shows that Americans from 18 to 34 are less obsessed with social media than some of their older peers are. Smartphones are driving activity in all age groups. Source: New York Times, January 27, 2017. The report also broke out which social networks were most popular on smartphones, finding that Facebook still dominated on mobile, with … [Read more...]
Walmart working on high-tech food safety initiatives
A technique from the financial industry, blockchain technology, may help improve food chain safety. The initiative is being deployed in China to improve the transparency and traceability in pork production and in the U.S. on a produce project. Source: Meat + Poultry, February 2017, page 66. Pilot projects developed by Wal-Mart, IBM and Tsinghua University will use … [Read more...]
The NDC number explained
Corina Posey explains the origins and meanings of the National Drug Code numbers we see on products. There is a lot of information in those unique 10-digit, three-segment NDC identifiers. Source: Animal Health Solution, February 2017, page 60. … [Read more...]
Audiobooks may calm dogs
Audiobooks played in a recent study conducted by researchers at Hartpury College in the United Kingdom resulted in dogs spending more time resting and less time displaying vigilant behaviors. This is a new dimension beyond the considerable studies on how music effects dogs. Source: The Bark, February 11, 2017. The book used in the experiment was The Lion, The Witch and The … [Read more...]
Training important for sows and gilts in group housing
The success of the group housing movement in swine production will depend on training sows and gilts, according to researchers at Kansas State University. Monitoring feed efficiency by individual sow is but one of the factors that complicates the changes in sow and gilt management. In one study, gilts spent 10 weeks in pre-training, two weeks in training, then moved into … [Read more...]
Rainrot diagnosis becomes high tech
Rainrot can be nothing more than a pesky irritation that comes along with the rainy/wet season of the year. It has the potential to become more serious if not managed. Formerly, diagnosis was limited to evaluating skin scrapings under a microscope, but new technology may improve diagnosis; all at lower cost than cytology. Source: Equus Magazine, December 2016. In chronic … [Read more...]
Diagnostic dental radiographs: A concise how-to
Mary Berg, RVT, RLATG, VTS (Dentistry), demonstrates her preferred method of obtaining these types of images. She has been teaching veterinary technicians how to take dental radiographs for more than 20 years. Her proven techniques are shared and discussed in this article and video. Source: Firstline, January 18, 2017. Berg’s simplified positioning methods eliminate the … [Read more...]
Science, micro-bugs and dirt
Animal health pros will appreciate this AgProfessional’s Readers’ Choice 2016 product of the year even if they never use it directly. Consider the pressure on GMOs and traditional methods of antibiotic use. Now look at what science can do to dirt to make it more nutrient rich for crops. Source: Ag Pro, January 30, 2017. Focusing on microbials for soil health is still a … [Read more...]
Sheep Yoda makes heart surgery history
Yoda, a therapy sheep at the Ranch Hand Rescue Counseling Center and Animal Sanctuary, has made history by undergoing Patent Ductus Arteriosus ligation. Sometimes observed in humans after birth, PDA is a heart problem in which the ductus arteriosus blood vessel remains open, which allows blood to recirculate into the lungs. Surgical repair has been done on children, dogs and … [Read more...]
Choose mobile messaging channels wisely
We found this article relevant as the mobile technology continues to drive choice in customers and clients. Source: Marketing Profs, January 13, 2017. To be successful with mobile marketing, you need to engage with your users: You want them to be customers—to use your products or services or to buy merchandise. … [Read more...]